A Parent's Worst Nightmare
by ananova
Summary: Inuyasha and Kagome's son, Jomei, disappears one foggy morning. Can Inuyasha find him in time?
1. Gone

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. In other words, I don't own and I make no money from this.

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Originally posted to Inuyasha Fanfiction on August 12, 2012 for Drabble #39 Foggy. It won 3rd place.

Title: Gone

Author: ananova

Word Count: 313

Prompt: Foggy

Genre: Drama/Angst

Rating: K+

Warnings: None

Characters: Kagome

Summary: While cooking Kagome realizes that it is too quiet. Where has her son disappeared to? Prequel to Family Embrace.

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Kagome smiled as she placed the pot of soup over the fire-pit. "There," she murmured. "Just need to wait for Inuyasha to come back with some meat to go along with the vegetables." She glanced out the window, frowning at the fog that rolled past. "It's really foggy today. I can't even see the rest of the village through it." Her frown deepened before she smiled and turned around. "But don't worry Jomei-chan, your Papa is an excellent hunter. He won't let a little fog stop him from catching us breakfast."

Her smile faded as silence greeted her. "Jomei-chan?" She walked through the main room of the hut. She didn't really expect the toddler to answer her but he would normally gurgle and babble when his name was called. "Jomei-chan?" Why was it so quiet?

Her foot encountered a small object and she nearly stumbled. Kagome glanced down, spotting the blocks Inuyasha had carved for Jomei to play with. Panic was quickly filling her as her son was nowhere in sight. "Jomei!" She tore through the hut but there was no sign of the boy. He was gone.

Re-entering the main room, her eyes landed on the reed mat that acted as a door. A corner at the bottom was shoved to the side. Kagome gasped and flung it aside, racing outside. But other than a few muddy tracks, she could see no sign of her son in the thick fog. "Jomei!"

Again there was no answer.

Her heart pounding in her chest, Kagome took a deep breath and did the only thing she could. "INUYASHA!" she cried as loudly as she could, knowing he would hear her and come running. She couldn't hope to find their son in these conditions, her husband's superior senses were her only hope. She just prayed he got there quickly, before anything could happen to the toddler.


	2. A Parent's Worst Nightmare

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. In other words, I don't own and I make no money from this.

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Originally posted to Inuyasha Fanfiction on August 12, 2012 for Drabble #40 Agony. It won 3rd place.

Title: A Parent's Worst Nightmare

Author: ananova

Word Count: 316

Prompt: Agony

Genre: Angst

Rating: K+

Warnings: None

Characters: Kagome and Inuyasha

Summary: Inuyasha returns and learns of the situation. Follows Gone.

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Kagome's cry echoed loudly through the area as she stood there, panting for breath. Her eyes continued to futilely search the area but there was no sign of of the toddler. Each second that passed felt like an agonizing eternity as she stood there, not knowing what had become of her child.

Finally, what seemed like an eternity later but was in reality only a few moments, there was a crashing in the nearby trees. "Kagome!" A red and silver blur raced through the foliage, skidding to a halt before her. Golden eyes quickly sought danger but found none as he turned a confused look on his wife. His eyes widened at the look of agony etched on her face in the seconds before she threw herself into his arms.

"He's gone!" she wailed. "I can't find him anywhere!"

Inuyasha did his best to calm her and get a coherent answer. "Who's gone?"

"Jomei. I can't find him." Inuyasha felt his heart lurch painfully at her words. Kagome lifted her tear-filled eyes to meet his gaze. "One moment he was there, the next he was gone." She clutched at his haori. "You have to find him, Inuyasha. You have to."

Inuyasha swallowed painfully. His son was missing? "D-don't worry, I'll bring him back." He gave her a quick hug before swiftly turning to the small tracks just visible in the dirt. The fog would prevent him from easily spotting any other such tracks but thankfully he didn't need to rely on his eyes to track.

"Hurry Inuyasha," Kagome murmured behind him, her voice filled with an agony echoed in his own heart.

"I'll bring him back," he told her again, lifting his head to meet her gaze. Then he was gone.

Kagome slowly sank to her knees in front of their home as she prayed that he found the boy, and quickly.


	3. A Father's Fear

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. In other words, I don't own and I make no money from this.

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Originally posted to Inuyasha Fanfiction on August 13, 2012 for Oneshot #20 Dark Side. It won 1st place.

Title: A Father's Fear

Author: ananova

Word Count: 750

Prompt: Dark Side

Genre: Angst/Family

Rating: T

Warnings: Slight Language

Characters: Inuyasha and Kagome

Summary: Inuyasha races after his son, hoping to reach him in time to avert tragedy. Follows Gone and A Parent's Worst Nightmare.

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Inuyasha raced through the forest, ignoring the leaves and small branches that he crashed through as he continued to follow his son's scent. 'Damn it! How the hell did he manage to get so far, so fast?' he wondered. A flash of pride filled him at the toddler's accomplishment, only to be crushed and replaced with worry and fear.

'Shit. He's heading deeper into the forest. Anything could happen to him, he's to young to defend himself, whether it's from a youkai or a wild animal.' Straining, he managed to increase his speed again. He had never felt so afraid as he did at that moment. At least when Kagome was in danger he would be right by her side, able to take any blows for her. And she had her own spiritual powers to help fend off attacks.

But Jomei... 'He's just a baby.' Inuyasha's heart thumped painfully in his chest as he encountered the dark side of being a parent. The fear, the worry, the feeling of helplessness.

A growl tore it's way from his throat as he tried to shake the feelings away, concentrating on the scent he was following. His eyes widened as he realized where the scent was leading. 'Oh shit! The cliffs are this way!' Somehow he managed to increase his speed again, his feet barely touching the ground as he ran.

He broke through the trees, his keen eyes spotting the small form teetering near the edge of the cliffs. "Jomei!"

The boy turned at the cry. "Dadadada," he babbled happily, before his trembling legs buckled beneath him and he began to topple backwards.

"Nooo!" Without stopping Inuyasha lunged forward, leaping right off of the cliff and snatching the child out of the air. Pulling him tightly to his chest and holding him there with one arm, he twisted his body around, using his other hand to dig into the side of the cliff. His claws dug deep trenches into the rock face as his momentum continued to drive him down for a bit, but finally they came to a stop with a sharp jerk. He winced slightly at the pain in his arm but, glancing down at the scared but unharmed child in his arms, it faded from his mind completely.

"Jomei," Inuyasha said before giving him a tight hug. 'Thank you,' he prayed to whoever was listening. 'Thank you for not taking him from us, from me.'

Jomei stared up at his father's face, a confused look on his own. Why did Papa seem upset? He gently patted his face and babbled at him.

Inuyasha gave the boy a smile, hugging him again, then began to climb back up the cliff. Upon reaching the top, Jomei started wiggling in his arms, trying to get him to put him down. "Oh no you don't," Inuyasha told him with a slight chuckle. "I think you've had enough adventure for one day." He kept a firm grip as he started the walk back to their hut. "In fact, you aren't having any more adventures for a long time. You are not allowed to wander off by yourself until you are a lot bigger."

Inuyasha felt his tension ease and his worries fade away as he listened to the boy's babbles and happy gurgles. The danger had passed, it was alright to relax now. Nearing the edge of their property, he could scent Kagome and knew she must be going out of her mind with worry. He glanced down at the toddler. "You're Mama's not gonna let you out of her sight for a long time," he warned him as they exited the trees.

Kagome's head shot up as she heard the approaching footsteps and her son's babbling voice. She shot to her feet, racing straight toward them as they became visible in the fog. "Jomei!" She snatched the boy out of his father's arms and into her own, pulling him tightly against her chest as she smothered his face in kisses. "Oh, I was so worried."

Inuyasha reached out and pulled her into his arms. "He's alright. He's had quite an adventure but he's safe." They remained like that for a long time, simply holding one another and listening to their son's babble. 'There may be a dark side to having a family, but moments like this make it all worth it,' Inuyasha reflected, his arms tightening around his family. Despite the fear and worry, he wouldn't trade this moment for anything.


	4. Family Embrace

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. In other words, I don't own and I make no money from this.

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Originally posted to Issekiwa on June 21, 2012 for Prompt #152 Safe and Sound.

Title: Family Embrace

Author: ananova

Rating: K

Prompt: Safe and Sound (Issekiwa)

Genre: Family

Word Count: 214

Warnings: None

Summary: A family clings to one another after a traumatic experience. Post-Canon.

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Kagome continued to rock the small body in her arms, even after the child had gone back to sleep. Strong arms wrapped around the both of them, drawing her to rest against an equally strong chest. She glanced up into a pair of worried gold eyes.

"It was so close today," she whispered, unshed tears in her eyes. Fear of waking the slumbering child was not the only fear keeping her voice so low. "If you hadn't made it in time-"

"Shh," Inuyasha said as he repeated her actions with the child, rocking her back and forth in his arms. "Don't worry about what ifs. Just focus on the here and now. He's here, in your arms, safe and sound."

Kagome nodded, trying to swallow back her fears past the lump in her throat. She felt one of his hands tenderly stroke her hair, then saw it move and repeat the action on their son. Her eyes widened as the hand shook and she realized he felt the same fears she did. Gently easing one arm away from her son, she wrapped it around her husband instead. The three remained in their embrace for the rest of the night, basking in the fact that all were there, safe and sound.


End file.
